Return bend fitting



June 24, 1930. L.. C. HUFF 1,767,677

RETURN BENDFITTING Original Filed June 19. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 24, 1930. HUFF RETURN BEND FITTING Original Filed June 19. 1925 2 Sheets-Shes?l 2 lili-71666.'

Patented June 24, 1930 UNIT-En STATES LYMAN C. HUFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

AssrGNor. 'ro UNIVERSAL on. raonncrs A coaPoRA'rroN or sou'rn DAKOTA RETURN BEND A FITTING Original application lllcd June 19,

1925, serial No.' $8,295. Divided and this application mea .Tune 24,

1929. Serial No. 373,395.

This application is a continuation of my former application Serial. No. 38,295 filed June 19th, 1925.

, in the header This invention relates to a return bend fitting and refers more particularly to a removable cap placed in the header of the return bend fitting closing the vends of continuous tubes or conduits.

In the specific embodiment of the present invention, the removable cap is held in place by means of a holding lever pivotly` mounted with relation to a cross arm, the contacting end of which lever may take the adapted to contactV the exposed surface oi the cap and by manipulation of the holding lever to form a wedge fit against the cap when force is applied on the handle ofsad lever.

This type of return bend fitting is particularly adapted for tubes or conduits for use in the treatment of hydrocarbon oil under a high heat and pressure where it is necessary to remove the closure caps periodically for cleaning of the tu'bes or for replacement of the tubes.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing one application of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the return bend.

Fig. 3 'is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3. i v

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing another form of cap construction.

'Referring now in detail to the drawingTY and particularly Figs. 1 to 4, a conduit or pipe 1 having screw thread 2 is swedged into the header 3. This header 3 is of the usual type having inlet and outlet and communieating passageway 4. The ends of the inlet and discharge sides of the header 3 are normally open, and in this instance arc provided with projections `5. These projections are internally recessed or slotted intermedi` ate their length, as` shown lat 6, for the purpose of receiving the ends of the cross bar or member 7. Thls cross bar 7 is itself inteform of an eccentric, which is riorally slotted or apertured, as shown at 8 (Fig. 4) in a lengthwise direction, and the cross member is also in its width interme ate its length, as shown. Transversely of its width and on both sides of the central longitudinal opening 8, the cross arm 7 is provided with the cutaway portions 9. These cutaway portions 9 are adapted to accommodate the projecting ends 10 4of the end 11 of the lever 12. The end 11 is mounted on the pin 13 extending transversely of Ithe width of the cross member 7, which pin 13l forms the pivot upon which the end 11 of the lever 12 is movable.

As shown, in the drawings, the end 11 of the lever 12 is preferably constructed integrally with and may be formed as an eccentric for a purpose to be hereinafter ex lained. The lever 12 is held in place on t e cross bar 7 by means of the pin 13 and end arrangement 10 in sockets 9 as shown. Adjacent the lower end of the Across bar 7 are outwardly extending lugs or shoulders 14, which are adapted to rest on the upper surface of the lower projection 5 on oppos'te sides of the slot 6 for the purpose of preventing accrdental displacement or movement of the cross arm 7 andalso preventing the cross' arm from dropping off. l.

Referring now particularly to the construction shown in Fig. 3, the interior of the header is provided with an annular recess 15 lar er in diameter than the normal diameter o the header at that point. Anannupreferably thickened asY the body portion of the lever 12 v lar open ended'plugging member 16 having inwardly taperm sides 17 adjacent one end and other inwar ly tapering ends 18 adjacent its other end is inserted into the tapered side 19 of the header so that the lower end of said tubular open ended plug 1s adjacent to the annular recess 15. It has been found in practice that the construction of an annular ring in this manner prevents any fouling of the plug when 1t 1s lnserted, due to faulty connections or sharp corners betweenthe tapered side 19 and straight side 2() lof the pipe.

A closure cap with the lug or lugs 22 and having an lnter- 21 which may be provided i .nal ta ered seat 23 is adapted to be laced over the open ended plug 16 onthe tapered surface 18 thereof. Ihe crown of this plug may have a case hardened insert 23 placed on the Aexterior thereof to provide a hardened surface against which the end 11 of the lever 12 is wedged. y

Describing now the manner of inserting the plug in place, the lever 12 is pushed upf wardly so that a point of less diameter between the pin 13 and periphery of the end 11 is reached. The open ended plugging member 16 may then be inserted into the open end of the header so that the tapered sides 17 seat on the tapered seat 19 of said header. The closure cap 21 is then placed over the open ended plugging member 16,

l the arrangement being such that the tapered contacting portion 23 of the cap 21 seats on the tapered seat 18 of said open ended plug 16. It .will thus be seen that the plug 21 is tapered on its inner face. The cross bar 7 is then adjusted in place and the lever l2 is forced downwardly, bringing the high part. of the eccentric into contact with the case hardened insert 23. Great force is then exerted on the lever l2 to force same further downwardly and form a wedge fit between the eccentric and the cap, thus holding Cthe entire assembly in place. l

The particular `*novelty of provi-ding a separable cap 2l and open ended plugging member 16 is in order to allow for throwing away the plugging member l16 when same has .been used and partially scored or chewed up by the cleaning rod thus saving the cap 21, or return fitting 3 which of course, are more expensive items.

In Fig. v5, I have shown .what may be termed a standard form of cap, with a .curved crown and tapering sides iseating on the tapered portion 19 of the header. It dis to be particularly noted that I do not wish to in any way limit myself to theuse of either of these caps, except as set forth in the appended claims.

It is to be noted that the weight of the lever arm will always hold thel eccentric in contact with the cap after it is in place. It may be necessary to tap the cap with a hammer, as the lever is being'pulled down, in order to force it into its seat. An extension handle 24 maybe provided for the lever 12 if found desirable. -The extensions l() are to a certain extent stub-shafts, which project outwardly from both faces of the end 11. It is understood, of course, that the internal pressure is against. the seat, tending to tighten the joints. The cross bar 7 is, of course, detachable. i

I have described my invention as being applied to return fittings, but it must loe` understood that it can be used on junction boxes, terminal' boxes, sheets, headers and the like.

hand holes in, tube I claim as my invention:

l. A return 4bend fitting for a tubular oil still comprising a header and plurality of openings in one side of saidheader adapted to receive the ends of still tubes, a second series of openings in said header, theopenings of said second series being diametrically opposed to said first mentioned openings, an annular open ended member having inwardly tapered sides adjacent one end thereof and inwardly? tapered sides adjacent the other end thereof inserted into each of said second series of openings, plugs adapted to fit over the tapered sides at one end of each of said open ended annular members, a plurality of pairs of projections carried by said header, each pair of projections being positioned in alignment with one of said series of openings, a removable bar adapted to cooperate with each pair of projectlons, a cam lever carried by each removable bar said cam leversbeing adapted to bear against said Y plugs and clamp the same in position.

2. A returnl bend 'fitting for a tubular oil y still comprising a header, a plurality of openings in one side of said header adapted to receive the ends of still tubes, a second series of openings in said header, the openings of said second series being diametrically opposed to said first mentioned openings and having inwardly tapering walls, an annular open ended memberhaving inwardly tapering sides adjacent each end thereof inserted into each of said second series of openings in such manner that the tapered Wall of the4 opening and the tapered side at one end of the annular member are in wedging relationship and plugs adapted to fit over the tapered side at the opposite end of each of said open ended annular members. f

3. A return bend fitting for altubular oil still comprising a header, a plurality of openings in one side of said header adapted to receive the ends of still tubes, a second series of openingsin said header, the openings of said second series being diametrically opposed to said first mentioned openings and having inwardly tapering walls, an annular 1 open ended member having inwardly taper- -plugs in wedging relationship with said annular members.

In testlmony whereof I affix my signature.

' LYMAN C. HUFF. 

